8 Lessons Improv Comedy Class Taught Me About Entrepreneurship

Picture yourself in a group setting, maybe at a party or business function. You chime-in to the conversation with a line so funny, so perfect, so well-timed that the group erupts with laughter; maybe someone even slaps your arm in approval or sheds a tear laughing (when you’re really lucky). And you stand there and soak in your verbal victory. Then you replay it in your head a few times before you go to bed, and relish your moment of brilliant comedy.

I love those moments. So much so that I decided to become skilled at them: I signed up for improv comedy classes.

But what I got out of these classes was much more than a couple of one-liners for parties. Improv turned out to be great for my company and personal well-being. Here are those eight business lessons improv taught me:

How to Find Your Next Big Business Idea

You have been thinking about this for a long time, and now you are ready to get serious about starting your own business. Many people know they want to strike out on their own before they have a solid idea. There are so many different directions you could go, so many ideas out there. How do you know what is the right one for you?

Sure, some entrepreneurs have inspired “eureka!” moments that give them that big idea, but even more follow a method of generating successful ideas. Rather than waiting for the lightning bolt to strike, there are some tried and true strategies for arriving on your best bets for a business.

Here are some of the things you can do to help set yourself up for the win when planning your new venture: